Illumination means for handbags and the like



June 30, 1942. w. A. SMITH ILLUMINATION MEANS FOR HANDBAGS AND THE LIKE Filed July 19, 1941 H 3nventor WILLIAM H. Smrr attorneys Patented June 30, 1942 2,288,493 7' ILLUMINATION MEANS FOR HANDBAGS AND I William A. Smith, Charlotte, N. c. Application July 19, 1941, Serial No. 403,144

3 Claims.

This invention relates to illuminating means for luggage, such as satchels, toilet cases, purses and the like, and more especially to a device of this character in which a pivoted latch serves a dual purpose, i. e., holding the satchel in aclosed position and as a switch which controls the illumination of the satchel.

It is another object of thi invention to provide a satchel, purse or the like having bination battery casing and latch, which latch will serve to hold the satchel closed when rotated to one position and which will complete a circuit to illuminate the interior of the satchel when rotated to another position. Such a structure will greatly facilitate the illumination of satchels and the like because the same means which controls the latching also controls the illumination.

Some of the objects of the invention having been stated, other objects will appear as the description proceeds, when taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which- Figure 1 is an isometric view of a hand bag on which my improved illuminating means is installed;

Figure 2 is an detail view taken me 1;

Figure 2A is an isometric view of the adjustment shims;

enlarged transverse sectional along the line 2-2 in Fig- Figure 3 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional I view taken along the line 3-3 in Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a transverse sectional detail view a pivoted com (or. {MO-6.45)

similar to Figure 2, but showing a slightly modiv fled form of the invention.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, the numeral I broadly designates a ladies handbag comprising a pair of frames I I and I 2 which are pivotally secured to each other as at it. These frames have secured thereto as at I5 and I6, respectively, edges of a suitable flexible material H, which forms a receptacle. The frame II has suitable eyelets [8 extending upwardly therefrom to which the ends of a suitable strap 19 are attached, said strap being employed as a handle.

- Latching means a hook member 23 as the When latching th frames H and I2 in closed position, the beveled surface 2| on rigid projection 20 will contact the beveled surface 22 and thereby cause the hook member 23 to rotate sufliciently about bendable strip 24 as an axis to permit the lower edge of the hook to pass over the upper edge of the projection 2|. After passing over this upper edge Illuminating device and circuit Also the hook member 23 has integral therewith, a suitable battery casing 21, preferably made of a suitable waterproof material. Disposed within the casing is a conventional battery cell 28 which battery has acardboard or insulation cover 29, a metallic inner cover such as zinc and the like 30, and a suitable electrolytic compound 3! on the interior of the inner cover. One end of the casing 21 has a cover 32 threadably mounted thereon, said cover serving as a means for holding a suitable coiled spring 33 against one end of the battery cell 28 to serve as a ground connection.

The other endof casing 21 has a cap 34 threadably secured thereon, said cap having an insulation disk 35 disposed therein, which disk has one leg of an L-shaped insulation strip 36 resting against one face thereof. This L-shaped strip 36 has secured thereto as at 31 an L-shaped conductor strip 38, said strip having a contact terminal 39 extending from its other end to the exterior of the casing 21. Contact 39 is disposed in close proximity to the base of a light bulb 40, which bulb is threadably secured in frame ll so that the illuminating means will be disposed normally on the interior of the handbag III. This light bulb has a filament 4| therein, one end of which is connected as atfla on the exterior of the bulb and its other end being grounded in a conventional manner as at 42 to the metallic base of the bulb.

It is to be borne in mind that the point a is exposed to the exterior of the purse and is located in the path adapted to be travelled by purse in latched the terminal 39 when it is rotated in a clock;- wise manner in Figures 1 and 2. In other words, when the casing 21 together with its associated latch 23 and terminal 39 are rotated in a clockwise manner to unlatchthe purse, the contact 39 may be caused to make connection with one end of filament 4| to close the circuit between points 39 and lla. This circuit is conventional and comprises ground wire 33, battery cell 28, contact 31, conductor wire 33, terminal 39, filament ll, and ground 42. v

The distance between filament point a and the terminal 39 may be varied as desired. For example, it may be desired to unlatch the purse without closing the 7 electrical circuit between points 39 and a. In such cases, a substantial clearance would be required between these two points. In order to make it possible to vary the distance between the terminal 39 and point a, suitable shims 44 are disposed around the base of the bulb 40 and on the inside of the frame H.

These shims limit the upper position of point 4 l a.

Figure 4 shows a slightly modified form of the invention in. which similar parts will be given like reference characters and a description will be made only of the parts which differ in construction. This form' of the invention shows the frame ll having pivotally secured thereto as at 45, a casing 21a, said casing 210 having a conventional battery cell 28 therein. The casing 21a ha's integral therewith a conventional latch 23 which engages projection 29 when the purse is closed. Disposed between the pivot point 45 and the free end, of the latch 23 is a terminal 39a,

'which is disposed directly above point Ila of bulb 40. A torsion spring 46 fits around the pivot shaft 45, and one end of this spring contacts the casing 21a and the other. end contacts the frame H, thereby normally rotating the casing in a counterclockwise manner in Figure 4 about shaft 45. The spring serves to hold the position and also urges-terminal 39a toward point -4 la. However, when the parts are in latched position as shown in Figure 4, there is sufficient clearance between the contact, 39a and the point lla to prevent contact from being made. Upon the unlatching of the purse, the spring 43 will close the circuit, unless it is held open by the user. Therefore. it is seen the interior ofthe purse will be automatically illuminated when it is opened, unless the user manually holds the terminal 39a out of contact with the filament point a.

In the drawing and specification, there has been set forth a preferred embodiment of the invention, and although specific terms are employed, they are used in a generic and descriptive sence only and not for purposes of limitation, the scope of the invention being set forth in the following claims;

I claim:

1. A handbag having a frame comprising first and second substantially U-shaped frame members pivoted to each other at their free ends and latched position.

the handbag and being electrically connected to the contact point, a battery within the casing, a contact on the exterior of the casing and being connected to one side of the battery and also insulated from the metallic casing, the other side of the battery being connected to the casing, whereby when the handbag is opened and the casing is swung on its pivot the contact on the casing will engage the contact on the firstirame' and illuminate the bulb. r 2. A handbag having a frame comprising first and second substantially U'-shaped frame mem-' bers pivoted to each other at their free ends and being adapted to be swung apart to form an opening in the handbag, a metallic casing pivotally secured to the first frame member and having latching means for engaging the second frame for holding the handbag in closed position, the first frame having a contact point on the exterior thereof, a light bulb mounted on the inside of the handbag and being the contact point, a battery within the casing, a contact on the exterior of the casing and being connected to one side of the battery and also insulated from the metallic casing, the other side of the battery being connected to the casing, whereby when the handbag is opened and the casing is swung on its pivot the contact on the 1 casing will engage the contact on the first frame and illuminate the bulb, and tension means normally urging the two contact points towards each other and'also acting to 'hold the two frames in latched position.

3. A handbag having a frame comprising first contact on the exterior of the casing and being connected to one side of the battery and 'also insulated from the metallic casing, the other side of the battery being connected to the casing, whereby when the handbag is opened and the casing is swung on its pivot the contact on the casing will engage the contact on the first frame and illuminate the bulb, and means normally urging the two contact points away from each other and also acting to hold the two frames in WILLIAM A. SMITH.

electrically connected to 

